Homopolyesters of 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylic acid and certain aliphatic glycols are disclosed in the literature. Homopolyesters of 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylic acid and ethylene glycol, 1,4-butanediol, and 1,6-hexanediol are disclosed by Meurisse et al., in the British Polymer Journal. Volume 13, page 57 (1981) (Table 1). Jackson and Morris include a review of homopolyesters from 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylic acid and various aliphatic glycols in the Journal of Applied Polymer Science. Applied Polymer Symposia, 41, 307-326 (1985). Krigbaum et al. disclose relatively low molecular weight homopolyesters from 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylic acid and various aliphatic glycols in the Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Polymer Letters Edition. 20, 109-115 (1982). Low molecular weight homopolyesters of 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylic acid are also disclosed by Wanatabe et al., Macromolecules 21(1), p. 278-280 (1988), and Krigbaum et al., Polymer. 24(10), p. 1299-1307 (1983). Jpn. Kokai Tokkyo Koho JP No. 61,236,821 [86,236,821 ](1986) also discloses low molecular weight polyesters from 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylic acid and 1,4-butanediol prepared below their melting temperatures in a nonvolatile liquid. Polyesters of 1,6-hexanediol and 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylic acid are disclosed in Kobunshi Ronbunshu, Vol. 44(12), 983-986 (December 1987) having limiting viscosity number of about 0.31.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,842,040 and 3,842,041 disclose the homopolyester of 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylic acid and ethylene glycol.
Copolyesters of 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylic acid (BDA) and certain aliphatic glycols are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,976,266. Polyesters of BDA and 1,6-hexanediol (HD) are specifically disclosed in column 2, line 70 of U.S. Pat. No. 2,976,266 in a general listing along with other aliphatic glycols useful in this disclosed invention. However, the copolyester of BDA, 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CD), and HD is not specifically disclosed.
German Offenlegungsschrift, DE No. 1935252, discloses polyesters of two aromatic dicarboxylic acids which include 10 to 50 mol % 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylic acid. 50 to 90 mol % of terephthalic acid and the two glycols ethylene glycol and 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol.
Japanese Patent, Kokai Tokkyo Koho JP No. 57/198726 discloses copolyesters containing 25-80 mol % 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylic acid with various aliphatic qlycols and aromatic dicarboxylic acids.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,151 discloses ultra-high-molecular weight polyesters prepared from aromatic dicarboxylic acids and alkylene glycols containing from 2 to 6 carbons having an intrinsic viscosity greater than 1.5. 4,4'-Biphenyldicarboxylic acid is disclosed in a list of dicarboxylic acids useful to the disclosed invention.
Heretofore, copolyesters from 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylic acid, 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and 1,6-hexanediol have been unknown.